Education & Insight for Mental Health Professionals

Why Mental Health Awareness Month is So Crucial

When we focus on a person’s mental health, we look at the ways in which it impacts their thoughts, emotions, moods, ability to relate to others, efficacy at work and school, and their behavioral choices.

An Important Metaphor for Therapy

As I walked my dog in the neighborhood, I was struck by the rebirth of foliage that was either starting to reveal its budding flowers or was already showing off its brilliant yellow and pink blossoms.

In Loving Memory of My Father

My father was an incredibly loving, compassionate, and caring man.

Clinician Take Care of Thyself! Here’s How.

It’s critically important that, as mental health providers, we practice what we preach.

How to Keep Clients from Downplaying Their Own Accomplishments in Therapy

Understand why we need to be careful, during therapy, as we listen to clients compare their own accomplishments with those of others. Learn what we can do to counteract our clients’ thinking to keep them from legitimizing their inaccurate feelings of worthlessness.

Challenging the Myths of Medication Therapy – Part 2

When warranted, and facilitated by a physician, medication may enable clients to do the work that you want to do with them in the therapy process. Part 2 of this series focuses on medication issues that come into play when discussing the possibility of the following: length of time to be on a medication and...

Challenging the Myths of Medication Therapy – Part 1

Many clients see taking medication as a sign of weakness. However, taking medication when indicated as part of the therapeutic process, can have a positive effect on your clients’ cognitive functioning. Understand the myths of using medication as a part of therapy so that you can alleviate your clients’ unfounded concerns.

The Holidays and Self-Destructive Behavior

The holiday season often sparks a time of tremendous vulnerability in clients — when they start to engage in self-destructive behavior. Understand why the holidays may drive people to self-harm, and what you can do to help your client get through this time of year in manageable and healthy ways.

When Clients are Traumatized by Clergy Sexual Abuse

One of the great blessings in my career is the opportunity I’m given to travel to other parts of the world to train mental health professionals. I just returned from a wonderful trip to Ireland where I spent two days with an incredible group of dedicated clinicians who were eager to learn about treating addiction...

Covered Exposure: A Muslim psychotherapist reflects on the day she revealed her religious identity to the world

Sabrina is more than a colleague and cherished friend, she is my sister. We have both long understood the power of our relationship.

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Lisa Ferentz, LCSW

Lisa Ferentz, LSCW-C DAPA, is a recognized expert in the strengths-based, de-pathologized treatment of trauma and has been in private practice for over 33 years. She presents workshops and keynote addresses nationally and internationally and is a clinical consultant to practitioners and mental health agencies worldwide. She has been an Adjunct Faculty member at several Universities and is the Founder of The Ferentz Institute.

Lisa is the author of “Treating Self-Destructive Behaviors in Traumatized Clients: A Clinician’s Guide,” “Letting Go of Self-Destructive Behaviors: A Workbook of Hope and Healing,” and “Finding Your Ruby Slippers: Transformative Life Lessons From the Therapist’s Couch.” She also is a contributing writer for mental health-related blogs and websites, including Psychologytoday.com.

To learn more about Lisa, click here.

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